Strand twisting apparatus



Oct. 12, 1943. E, BERGGREN ETAL 2,331,648

STAND TWISTING APPARATUS 4 Sheets Sheet 1 7 Filed July 2:, 1942 /N 1/5 N TOES 19 7'7'OE/VE) GTE BEEGGREN O. G NELSON Och & 4 G. E. BERGGREN 51 m. 2,331,648

STAND TWISTiNG APPARATUS Filed July 23, '1942 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Q) /N VEN Toes Q \Q GE. BEEGGEEN Y N O. G. NEL SON Patented Oct. 12.1943

. 213315-48 STRAND 'TWISTING APPARATUS George E. Berggren and Oscar G. Nelson, Baltimore, Md., assignors toWestern Electric Company, Incorporated, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application July 23, -194.2, Serial No.- 452,026

.5 Claims.

This invention relates to strand twisting apparatus and more particularly to apparatus for twisting relatively resilient and non-resilient strands into a cable.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a simple and eflicient apparatus for twisting strands into a cable. g

' In accordance with one embodiment of the invention as applied to an apparatus for twisting a combination of steel and copper wires into a cable, an apparatus has been provided wherein a plurality of wires are carried around a plurality of supply spools by means of a flyer which twists them into a strand, means being provided 7 for maintaining a predetermined tension on the wire drawn from the supply spools. The supply en in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation of the flyer whereby the strand of' cable is twisted tighter than the required lay between the flyer and sheave and untwisted an amount equal to the excess twist between the sheave and a capstan which draws the strands forming the cable from the supply spools.

In this apparatus, there is provided a gaging die, through which the stranded cable passes after and the flyer being rotated 90 from the position shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a transverse vertical sectional view on substantially the same scale as Fig. 3, taken along the line 4-4 of Fig. 2 in the direction of the arrows and showing some of the means forapplying' tension to the strands as they are withdrawn from the supp spools;

Fig. 5 is an irregular plan sectional view taken substantially along the line 5,5 of Fig; 4 in the direction of the arrows and showing the method of supporting the supp y spools in the cradle;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary detailed view of the sheave for untwisting a section of the cable and applying additional twist to another section'of the cable to give it the desired'lay;

Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 1-1 of Fig. 6 in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged detail sectional view of a part of the control mechanism of the apparatus; I and Fig. 9 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially along the line 9-9 of Fig. 8 in the it has been twisted the desired amount.- This die normally rides on a cable encircling it and when the cable is kinked or has a large undesirable lump on it, the gaging die will move with the cable and actuate an electrical switch to interrupt the operation of the apparatus.

A-better understanding of the invention may Q be had by reference to the accompanying draw-. ings, wherein Fig. 1 is a general plan viewof apparatus em bodying the invention, the housings of parts of theapparatus being removed to illustratemore clearly the general location of the parts;

Fig. 213 a side elevational view of the appara-Y tus shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is alongituclirial vertical sectional onran enlarged scale. taken substantially along the line- 3+3 of Fig. 1 in the direction -of th'e arrows..'partsbeing broken away to illustrate. 6

more clearly those parts positioned behindfthem direction of the arrows.

By reference to the drawings, it will be noted that as seen particularly in Figs. 1 and 2, the

. apparatus comprises three principal parts-a flyer unit I5, a post former unit it, a'gaging unit I1, and a takeup unit l8. All ofthe various'units of the apparatus are driven by a motor l9, which drives a gear reducer 20, which may be of any 5 suitable construction adapted to rotate a'pair of shafts 2| and 22 at predetermined speeds and in timed relation one with another. The shaft 2| has fixed to it a pair of driving gears 23 and 24 and-is iournalled in bearing blocks 25 and 26 which are slotted latf2l and 2 8" to receive the gears 23 and '24: Also mounted in the; bearing blocks 25 and 26 are intermediate'gears 29 and so, which: mesh with the driving gears 23 and 241 The flyer supporting studuhas a central aperQ' ture extending axially through it and is pro-1 vided with a slot as in which aguidepulley a1 is freely rotatable. The flyer supporting stud 33 has opposed flyer arzns'38 and as fixed to it between which anhs there is journalled a guide: sheave 4D. This 'sheave w isadapted to' receive the cable formed in the, apparatusand guide it to Ihe flyer supporting stud 54 is slotted as shown atjll in a manner somewhat similarsltothbit: described inconnection with the stud fl" tioned in the slot shown at 50 is a guide member 5I, which guides a cable, that has been passed through a tube 52 coaxial with the fiyer supporting stud 34, to a sheave 53 mounted between fiyer arms 4 and 55 fixed on opposite sides of the flyer supporting stud 34. The fiyer arms 38 and 38 are spaced apart by blocks 58 and 51 and the flyer arms 54 and 55 are spaced apart by blocks 58 and 59. The ends of the fiyer arms 54 and 55 and 38 and 38 away from the sheaves 53 and 54 are provided with weights 88 and 8I to counter-balance the sheaves 48 and 53 so that the portions of the fiyer arms extending on opposite sides of the studs 33 and 34 will be balanced. The end of the fiyer supporting stud 34, which extends toward the other fiyer stud 33 is provided with an end portion 82 apertured to receive the tube 52 and having a tubular axial projection 83 thereon. The tubular axial projection 83 has set into it a stranding die 84, through which the wires which make up the cable pass to the guide member 5|.

The projection 83 cooperates with a projection 85 on the fiyer supporting stud 33 to form trunnions for supporting a cradle, designated generally by the numeral 88, in position between the fiyer arms where the cradle will remain substantially stationary during the rotation of the flyer arms about the cradle. The cradle 65 includes a base framework made up of a longitudinally extending relatively heavy channel member 61, which has extending out from the sides of it and welded to each side of it four channel member supports 88-88. The main longitudinally extending channel member 81 has suitably fixed to it, for example, by welding, a pair of plates 88 and 18, which are provided with aper-' tures H and 12 in alignment with similar apertures 13 and 14 formed in bearing members 15 and 18. The trunnion projections 53 and 85 enter the aligned apertures 13 and H and 12 and 14 and serve to support the crade 65. Gusset plates 11 serve to brace the cradle structure by engaging with the main longitudinally disposed channel member 81 and with the pair of plates 68 and 18.

In the cradle formed by this structure, there are mounted seven wire supply spools 85, 88, 81, 88, 88, 88 and 8|, each of which is provided with a brake to be described more in detail hereinafter and from which wires may be directed to a lay plate 82, which is positionedto properly guide each individual strand of wire into the stranding die 84. The lay plate 32 is mounted upon a flat portion 83 formed on gusset plates 11. The spools 85 to 38 are each mounted in a similar manner on the cradle 88 and are provided with tension controlled brakes whereas the spool 8 I, which supplies the core or central strand of the cable, is provided with a drag brake 85 (Fig. 3). The spool 8I is mounted between brackets 88 and 81 (Figs. 1, 2 and 3) which extend inwardly of the cradle from end plate 88. Each of these brackets 88 and 81 is provided with a bearing portion 38 having a bearing notch 88 into which a shaft I88 may be set, The shaft I88 has a brake drum I8I suitably fixed to it -and the spool 3I is suitably fixed to the brake drum I8I. Encircling the brake drum'I8I is a brake band I82 having one end attached to a pin I83 and the other end resiliently urged toward the pin I83 by a spring I84, the tension of which may be adjusted by a tension adjusting nut I85.

A strand of wire I88 may be withdrawn from the spool 8I and fed directly through the lay plate 82 to the stranding die 84.

Extending upwardly from each of the channel members 88 is a bearing support H2 or H3, the four bearing supports H2 adjacent the middle of the cradle 88 being of identical construction and the four bearing supports H3 at the ends of the cradle being of identical construction. These bearing supports have bearings H4 (Figs. 3, 4 and 5) at their upper ends, which are similar to the bearings 88 on the brackets 88 and 81 and each of the bearings H4 and the bearing 88 are provided with quick acting snap locks H5 pivoted at one side of the bearing and having a spring cylinder resiliently urged into an aperture H8 (Fig. 5) in the bearing H4 to hold the spool supporting shafts or arbors in place. The arbors which support the spools 85, 88, 81, 88 and 83 are all of the same construction and, as illustrated in Fig. 5, the arbor designated H1 has a pair of spool supporting collars H8 and I28 mounted upon it. The spool supporting collar I28 is fixed to the arbor II1 bymeans of a set screw I2 I, whereas the collar I I8 is provided with an inwardly extending pin I22 adapted to engage in an aperture in the flange of the spool 85. The

collar H8 is provided with an aperture I23 into which extends a pin I24 fixed in a brake drum I25. The brake drum I25 is, in turn, attached to the arbor- H1 by means of a set screw I28. This assembly, comprising the arbor, the spood supporting collars, the brake drum and the spool 85, may be dropped into the bearing notches in the bearings H4 and locked in place by means of the snap locks H5. It should be noted that the intermediate ones of the snap lock I I5 extend over the ends of two arbors and lock them in. place.

Cooperating with the brake drums I25 are brake blocks I21, as shown most clearly in Figs. 4 and 5. The brake blocks are formed to conform to the shape of the brake drum I25 and are mounted on brake arms I28. Each brake arm I28 is pivoted on a stud shaft I23 extending from the bearing support H2 or H3, most closely adjacent the brake drum I25. Extending downwardly from each brake arm I28 is a lever I38, which maybe formed integrally with the brake arm and which is interconnected by means of a relatively heavy coil spring I3I with a threaded rod I32. The threaded rod I32 (Figs, 4 and 5) extends through a pivot block I33 pivotally mounted on the upper end of a lever arm I34 and the rod I32 may be locked'on the pivot block I33 by lock nut assembly I35. The lever arm I34 is formed integrally with a sleeve I38 mounted on a pivot rod I31. The sleeve I38 also has formed integrally with it a downwardly extending arm I38 having an abutment I38 resiliently mounted in it, the abutment normally being urged away from the arm I38 by a spring I48. Thus, the sleeve I38 and parts carried by it will normally be urged in a direction to apply a definite braking pressure to the brake drum I25 through the action of the brake block I21. However, the sleeve I38 forms part of a sheave supporting framework I (Fig. 5) which comprises the sleeve I38, a complementary sleeve I42, aninterconnecting cross member I43, and a sheave supporting rod I44. These parts may be suitably secured together or the sleeves I38, I42 and cross member I43 may form parts of a casting in which a rod I44 may be suitably mounted, end plates I45 and I48 extending from the sleeves I38 and I42 and being interconnected by the cross member I43.

The pivot rod I31 has fixed to it a toothed them to the lay plate 82.

clutch member I41 and has surrounding it a pair of clutch collars I48 and I48. The clutch collars I48 and I48 are interconnected with the sleeves I35 and I42 by coil springs I50 and II,.

in exactly the same manner as the one most clearly illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5. Furthermore,

each of the supply spools is provided with a brake drum I arranged in thesame manner as the spool 85.

The sheave supporting rod I44 has slidably and rotatably mounted upon it a guid sheave I53, which cooperates withan upper guide sheave I5I slidably and rotatably mounted on a rod I52 which extends between the plates 58 and 10, there being two of the rods I52"provided, one at each side of the cradle 55 for supporting the guide sheaves associated with the various wire supply spools on their respective sides of the cradle 55.

From the foregoing, it is believed to be apparent that by suitably adjusting the tension in the various springs, the tension under which the wires'drawn from the supply spools 85 to 80 may be controlled and that the guide sheaves I53 and I5I will slide back and forth on their respective I supporting rods to guide the wire as it is drawn the guidesheave I58, it will be directed to anidler pulley member I50, three of which are provided in the apparatuspeach guide member I50 serving to guide the two wires drawn from supply spools on opposite sides of it and to direct The guide members I50 are freelyrotatable between the arms of U shaped brackets I5I extending in a horizontal direction from upright support brackets I52, the upright support brackets I52 being mounted on the main channel member 51 of the cradle 55.

be stranded in the cable, the post former unit It is used to apply an additional twist to the wires between it and the flyer and to untwist the cable a predetermined amount equal to the additional twist'betweenit and the takeup unit l8. The amount of additional twist put into the cable and then taken out depends upon the resiliency of the wire. I I

In accordance with the preferred form of the invention, the gear 28 is mounted upon a shaft I55 which extends into and drives a gear reducer I55 for driving a capstan I 51 at a definite rate of speed and insynchronism with the rotation of the flyer. In passing from the flyer unit to the capstan I51, the cable is twisted and then untwisted an equal amount by post former unit I5, which will now be described. As most clearly shown in Figs. 6 and 7, the post former unit I5 is driven from the shaft I55 by a chain I58 engaging a sprocket I58 The chain I58- engages and drives a sprocket I10 fixed to a rotatable member "I suitably supported in a bearing I12, which is,'in turn, mounted .upon the housing of the gear reducer I55. The rotatable member "I is provided with an axial passage I 13 and is suitably held for rotation in the bearing I12. At the right end (Fig.5) of the rotatable member "I,

a slotted portion I14 is provided for supporting a post former sheave I15. The sheave I15 is freely rotatable about a shaft I15 and rotates in a slot,I11 formed in the portion I14. From the foregoing, it is believed to be apparent that a cable I18 formed of wires'drawn from the supply spools 85 to 8I will be directed from the flyer unit I5 to the post former unit I5, where it will be passed around the sheave I15. Rotation is imparted to the rotatable member I1I,which will carry the sheave I15 bodily about the axis of the cable I18 as the cable I18 is drawn through the lay plate 82 and the guide pulley 31 for eachrotation of the flyers about the cradle 55.

The wires fed from the supply spools'85, 85, 88, 88 and 9| are copper wires which are to be assembled with steel wires drawn from the supply spools 81 and 90 and due to the difference in resiliency of the copper and steel wires, and especially due to the resiliency of the steel wires, the

cable would tend to become untwisted if it were simply fed onto a takeup reel after being twisted in the apparatus described hereinbefore, and, ac-

cordingly, in following the present invention, the

cable composed of the strands withdrawn from the supply spools 85 to 9| are directed out through the aperture 35 in theflyer supporting stud 33 and are directed to the post former unit I5 before being directed to the takeup unit I8. If all of the wires on supply spools 85 to III are "dead copper wires, the cablethus formed might be directed to any suitable takeup device, such as simply by using theflyer described hereinbefore.

However, when relatively resilient wires are to rotatable member "I and as the cable I18 rotates the freely rotatable post former sheave I15. Thus, the cable of stranded wires is twisted by the flyer the exact amount desired in the finished cable and is twisted tighter than the required lay between the flyer unit I5 and the post former unit I5 by the operation of the post formerunit I8. Since the cable cannot twist at its takeup end, the cable is untwisted by the post former unit I5 anamount equal to the difference between the required lay as applied by the fiyer and the lay applied by the post former unit 15 to set the wires in the cable so that the finished strands of wire. are dead and will not tend to untwist.

From the post former unit I5, the wire is directed to the pulling capstan I51 and from the capstan is, in turn, directed upwardly to a guide sheave I82. -Intermediate the guide sheave I82 and the capstan I51, there is provided'a control device or gaging unit I1. This unit, as most clearly shown in-Figs. 8 and 9, comprises a suitable switch mechanism I83 for interrupting the power supply to the motor I8 when an undesirable lump or kink occurs in the cable I18. The switch I83 has an'actuator arm. I84'extending from it, which is spring biased in any suitable manner to remain in the position shownin Fig". 3. Mounted on the endof the actuator arm I84 ls'a roller I 85, which lies in the path ofa bell crank'lever I85. Thebell crank lever 185 is pivoted on a pin I81 and has one of its arms in engagement with'theroller I85, whereas its otherarm has a slot I88 formed init through whi'chthe cable I18 passes. The bell crank lever I is freely rotatable about the pin" I81, which, in turn, is mounted upon a bracket I89 which extends upwardly from the bearing I12 and supports the bell crank lever I88 and switch mechanism I83. In the operation of the apparatus, a gage sleeve I90 is placed on the cable and normally rides on the cable between the capstan I61 and the bell crank lever I85. The central aperture I9I of the gage sleeve is of a diameter such that cable I18, with the proper contour and size, will pass freely through the sleeve but when a kink or irregularity in the cable engages the sleeve I90, it will move the sleeve upwardly with it in the direction of the arrow (Fig. 8) to overcome the spring pressure of the switch mechanism I83 and cause the actuator lever I84 to be rocked in a clockwise direction when bell crank lever I85 is rocked in a counter-clockwise direction (Fig. 8) by the sleeve I90, thereby to interrupt the operation of the driving motor I9 and stop the apparatus.

After passing over the guide sheave I82, the cable passes to a distributor sheave I93 and thence to a takeup reel I94. The distributor sheave I93 may be moved transversely of the takeup reel I94 by any suitable mechanism, for

example, a screw type traverse rod I95. The

takeup reel I94 and traverse rod I95 are driven by the shaft 22 through any suitable speed re- 'duction mechanism, such as that illustrated at I95.

A better understanding of the invention may be had by reference to the following brief description of the operation of the apparatus. In starting the apparatus, wires may be withdrawn from each of the supply spools 85 to 9|, the wire from spool 9| being entered directly into the lay plate 92, whereas the wires from the other wire supply spools on the cradle 55 will be drawn therefrom, first passing over guide sheave II and then'down to tension controlling guide sheave I53 and up to their respective idler guide members I50. From the idler guide members I60, the wires may be fed through the lay plate 92 and the stranding die 54, after which the group of wires may be directed through the guide member 5I and over guide sheaves 53 and 40 to the guide pulley 31. From the guide pulley 31, the wires are directed to the post'forrner sheave I and thence through-the rotatable member I1I, which is in alignment with the capstan I61. The wires are wrapped several times around the capstan I51 and then passed through the gage sleeve I90 and over sheaves I82 and I93 to the takeup reel I94. After the apparatus has been prepared in this manner and the ends of the wires have been suitably secured to the takeup reel I84, motor I9 may be started in operation to drive the flyer arms 39, 39, 54 and 55 to cause two twists to be put in the wire for each revolution of the flyer between the lay plate 92 and the post former unit I5. The speed of rotation of the capstan I51 and takeup reel I94 will determine the number of lays or twists of wire per foot length of cable I18 and the wires will be twisted exactly as tightly as is desired in the ultimate cable by the flyer. Then, due to the action of the post former unit I5, the cable will be overtwisted between the post former and flyer and will be untwisted between the post former and capstan I61, so that when the 'cable reaches the capstan, it will have the required twist as applied by the flyer and will still be dead and will not tend to untwist-as it is fed to and wrapped around the takeup reel I94.

If there is a tendency for the wire to be drawn from any one of the spools 85 to 90 under less sition.

than the desired tension, the sheave I53 associated with that spool will move downwardly and, in so doing, will rock the sheave support- I spool will be rocked upwardly to release the brake arm I28 from the brake drum an amount corresponding to the amount that the sheave supporting framework is rocked out of its normal po- Thus, the tension on the wires being drawn from the supply spool may be maintained substantially constant and the guide sheaves I53 and I5I will slide-back and forth on their respective rods I44 and I52 to withdraw the wire evenly from the supply spools. The tension on the strands of wire will thus be maintained constant and formation of the cable will be continued until the supply of wire on the supply spools is exhausted, at which time the operation of the machine may be stopped manually. However, if a kink or other irregularity occurs in the cable, the machine will be automatically stopped by the kink or other irregularity engaging the gauge sleeve I and carrying it upwardly to actuate the switch I83 to interrupt the supply circuit to motor I9.

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for twisting strands into a cable comprising a, cradle for supporting a supply of strands, a, flyer rotatable around said cradle to impart two twists to the strands as they are withdrawn from the supplies on the cradle, a capstan for pulling the strands from the supplies and over the flyer, and a post former interposed between the flyer and the capstan for applying a twist to the cable between itself and the flyer and for untwisting the cable between itself and the capstan.

2. In a strand twisting apparatus, a cradle, a plurality of spools containing strands wound thereon supported by said cradle, a flyer rotatable around said cradle, a guide passage through a portion of said flyer, a guide plate for directing strands from the supplies to said passage in the flyer, an idler roller positioned between the guide plate and the supplies of strand for directing the strands to the guide plate, and a pair of freely rotatable and freely slidable sheaves cooperating to guide a strand from a supply to the guide roller.

3. In a strand twisting apparatus, a cradle, a plurality of spools containing strands wound thereon supported by said cradle, a flyer rotatable around said cradle, a guide passage through a portion of said flyer, a guide plate for directng strands from the supplies to said passage in the flyer, an idler roller positioned between the guide plate and the spools of strand. for directing the strands to the guide plate, a pair of freely rotat' able and freely slidable sheaves cooperating tothereon supported by saidcradle, a fiyer rotatable around said cradle, a guide passage through a portion of said fiyer, a guide plate for directing strands from the supplies to said passage in the flyer, an idler guide roller positioned between the guide plate and the supplies of strand for directing the strands to the guide plate, a pair of freely rotatable and freely slidable sheaves cooperating to guide a strand from a spool to the guide roller, a sheave supporting framework for supporting one of said freely rotatable and freely slidable sheaves, means for normally urging said framework to a predetermined position, and meansoperable under control of said framework for maintaining the tension in a constant.

7 r 2,831,648 plurality of spools containing strands wound 5. A tension controlling device for a strand handling apparatus comprising a brake, a means for controlling said brake including resilient means for normally urging said brake to apply a predetermined braking force, a lever for varying the efiectiveness of said resilient means, a framework connected to said lever for actuating it, and a sheave freely rotatable and slidable with respect to said framework, said sheave being responsive to the tension in a strand being handled to control the braking force applied to the strand supply.

, GEORGE E. BERGGREN.

OSCAR G; NELSON. 

